Tobacco-cutter.



UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFiCE.

JOSIAH W. SHERWOOD, OF GREEN LAKE, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- HALF TOWILLIAM H. SIGEL, OF GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented. Aug. 7, 1906.

Application filed February 19, 1906. Serial No. 301 924.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSIAH W. SHERWOOD, a citizen of the United States,residing at Green Lake, in the county of Allegan and State of Michigan,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tobacco- Cutters,of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in devices for cutting or slicingplug-tobacco; and its objects are, first, to provide a means ofcleansing the knife by a process of washing and wiping it after each cutmade from a plug of tobacco, and, second, to avert the danger of cuttingthe wiping appliance when the edge of the knife is passing down throughthe cover of the containing vessel and between the edges of the wipingappliances. I attain these objects by the mechanism illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a longitudinal section ofthe cutter and containing vessel on the line no a; of Fig. 2. Fig. 2 isa transverse section of the same on the line y y of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is abottom plan of the cover of the containing vessel, showing the manner ofactuating the wiping appliances. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of thewlping device detached from the containing vessel, and Fig. 5 is a sideelevation of the knife and an end elevation of the same.

Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

In the accompanying drawings, A represents an ordinary water receptacleor containing vessel which is designed to be filled with water, asindicated, and has a removable cover B, to which a lever C is pivoted,as at c. A knife D is secured in this lever so that it may be forceddown through the slot 6 into the water in the water-receptacle,(indicated by the broken lines 71 in Figs. 1 and 2) so that after theknife has passed down through a plug of tobacco, which, of course, is tobe placed upon the top of the cover B immediately under the knife whenthe latter is raised sufiiciently high to allow the tobacco to be placedthere, its edge will be immersed in the water and the adhering tobacco,if any, will be moistened, so that it may be easily removed from thesurface of the knife, which is accomplished by means of the wipers E, E,and F, constructed and operated as follows: The wiper consists of a baseE, having ears e 6, provided with openings, as shown, that are designedto receive the rods G and allow the base to move freely sidewisethereon, the rods G in turn being supported by the lugs b. Upon theserods and between the outer edges of the bases I place spiral springs H,so adjusted that they will force the bases toward each other and thewipers snugly against the surfaces of the knife D when the knife isforced down between them. Secured to thisbase by screws f or otherwiseis a cap E, and a sheet of rubber or other suitable wiping material, asF, is securely clamped with one edge protruding, so that the edges willcome in direct contact with the surfaces of the knife and remove thewater and tobacco that may have adhered to it. I provide for forcing theknife D down between the wiping appliances by forming a blunt roundedportion, as at d, at the end of the knife nearest the pivotal end of thelever C, which blunt end (1 passes between the wipers before the sharpedge (I enters between them and forces them apart, so that the sharpedge of the knife cannot come in contact with the wipers while the knifeis passing down through between them; but as the outer end of the knifeis raised up from between the wipers first and the contact is graduallycarried back toward the end (1 the wipers will be forced against thesides of the knife to the extreme edge the entire length of the knifewhen the knife is being raised out of the receptacle. I greatly preferthat the heel or end of the knife next to the pivotal bearing of thelever at c where it is pivoted to the lug a on the cover B be curved, asat (1, so that the end cl will pass back of the end of the slot 1) inthe cover B when the knife is at its lowest position. It will be readilyseen that with this arrangement the wipers must adjust themselves to theform of the surfaces of the knife, so that the knife will be wiped tothe very edge its entire length, which will insure the removal of anytobacco that may adhere to it every time a cut is made.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

1. In a tobacco-cutter, a water-receptacle, a detachable cover securedthereon, laterallyadjustable wipers secured to the cover, springs foractuating said wipers, a lever pivotally secured to the cover, a knifesecured to the lever in position to pass through a slot in I having oneend curved backward and the the cover, and between the Wipers, the knifeformed with the edge rounded and blunt at one end and sharp thebalanceof its length, as shown and described.

2. In a tobacco-cutter, a Water-receptacle, a cover secured thereon andprovided with a slot, rods secured to the under surface of the cover ateach end, Wipers adjustably secured on said rods, spiral springs foractuating the Wipers, a lever pivoted to the cover and carrying a knife,a knife secured to the lever and edge blunt and rounded at this end,said knife in position to pass through the'slot in the cover and betweenthe Wipers, as shown and described.

Signed at Grand Rapids, Michigan, February 10, 1906.

JOSIAH WV. SHERWOOD.

In presence of W. H. SIGEL,

ITHIEL J. OILLEY.

